Friday, December 8, 2017

Nightstryke – Power Shall Prevail

It shouldn’t take long to figure out who
Nightstryke are and what they play with an album title like “Power Shall
Prevail”. This is classic, 1980s-influenced heavy metal in the vein of greats
like Judas Priest, Riot, and many others. The band isn’t speed metal per se,
but they have no shortage of high-speed charging riffs. The energy and enthusiasm
on this record is overflowing from every single song. Whether it is due to flashy
guitar solos or a vocalist who isn’t afraid to screech out some screams,
Nightstryke always feels on the verge of exploding. Many of their harmonized
leads bring songs to another level, recalling any number of Iron Maiden efforts.

“Power Shall Prevail” has the right
formula, and it often results in a number of truly memorable tracks. Aside from
the title cut, later efforts like “Neon Killer” and “Take You Away” stand out
for their instantly accessible choruses. In general, Nightstryke’s music isn’t
as obviously catchy as more polished modern bands like Enforcer or Skull Fist,
but it is also this rawness that adds a sense of authenticity to their music. Though
the performances are tight, “Power Shall Prevail” doesn’t feel perfect, and
surprisingly, that often counts for a lot in metal.

As good as the record is, it isn’t immune
to criticism. Nightstryke’s singer has the right level of passion in his voice,
but he isn’t a virtuosic singer. He gets by easily on the more upbeat,
riff-intensive tunes, but any time he is the main focus, one can’t help but
wonder if the record would be more effective with a Bruce Dickinson-type
singer. In addition to this, the songwriting occasionally drags. “The Story of
The Forty Seven Ronin” in particular struggles to maintain its 6-minute length.
The album is fortunate to get off to a hot start, and similarly finishes
strong, but some of the middle tracks are less thrilling. Overall, it more than
gets the job done, and the band’s appreciation of heavy metal is made
consistently clear. This record is an obvious winner despite there being some
room for improvement! As a side note, the band has recently faced some serious adversity, so definitely check out their music and send some good vibes their way!